Comparing the Effectiveness of Fluconazole and a New Medicine (FK463) in Preventing Fungal Infections in Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2000-12-01

Summary

Fever and infection are serious complications of cancer treatment such as bone marrow transplant, especially when white blood cell counts are low. When the number of white blood cells is below 500, the person has a condition called neutropenia and has a high risk of developing an infection. At the first sign of fever, antibiotics are started. However, antibiotics do not kill fungus germs, and fungal infections may be difficult to treat. Thus, the prevention of fungal infections in this population is important. The only medicine approved for prevention of fungal infections is fluconazole, which prevents some but not all types of such infections. A new antifungal medication called FK463 works against more types of fungal infections than fluconazole does. This study will compare the effectiveness, safety, and tolerance of FK463 as compared with fluconazole.

Eight hundred patients will be enrolled in this study. They will be randomly assigned to receive either fluconazole or FK463. Before the medicine is begun, a physical exam as well as a blood sample, mouth swab, urine sample, and chest x-ray will be done. The fluconazole or FK463 will be administered once a day for one hour into the bloodstream through a catheter in the vein. Blood tests will be taken twice a week. Cultures from the blood, mouth, and urine will be taken throughout the study. X-rays and CT scans will only be taken if a fungal infection is suspected. If fever develops, blood will be drawn to check for fungi. If fever and neutropenia continue for more than 4 days, FK463 or fluconazole will be stopped and a standard medication called amphotericin B will be started.

Both FK463 and fluconazole will be administered until white blood cell count returns to greater than 500 (signifying recovery from neutropenia), or up to 42 days after transplantation. Patients will be evaluated 4 weeks after the medicine is stopped.

• Phase: Phase 3

Details

• Lead Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Treatments: Fluconazole; Micafungin